Apparatus for grading or separating fibers according to their length



Apr. 17, 1923.

1,452,353 W L. BALLS ET AL APPARATUS FOR GRAD ING OR-SEPARATING FIBERS ACCORDING TO THEIR LENGTH Filed Sent. 1, 1 920 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Z7z0erz5m n17. Baa

Apr. 17, 1923. 1,452,353

W. L. BALLS ET AL APPARATUS FOR GRADING OR SEPARATING FIBERS ACCORDING TO THEIR LENGTH 'F'iled Sent 1, 1920 s Sneets-Sheet 2 SWEEIIII Irederzbk hickdns Apr; 17, 1923." I 1,452,353

. W. L. BALLS ET AL APPARATUS FOR GRADING on SEPARATINC-r FIBERS ACCORDING To THEIRLENGTH I 3 Sheets-Shet 5 Filed 86161;. 1, 1920 D "Miami a Patented Apr. 17, 1923.

UNITED STATE WILLIAM LAWRENCE BALLS AND FREDERICK HUTGHINS, CF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR GRADING OR SEPABATING FIBERS ACCORDING TO THEIR LENGTH.

Application filed September 1, 1920. .Serial No. 407,447.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that WILLIAM LAWRENCE BALLS and FREDERICK Hu'roHINs, British subjects, residing at Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Grading or Separating Fibers According to Their Length, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for sorting or grading cotton or other fibers according to their length, and is an improvement in or modification of that described in the specification of application for patent Ser. No. 255957.

In that specification a machine is described comprising two main parts, a separator of the fibers and a collector to receive the fibers.

The present invention is designed to provide a simple hand operated apparatus which can be used for grading small samples of fiber and applies more particularly to a separator adapted to be moved to and fro over a stationary plush covered surface.

The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1. is a side elevation showing the gearing for operating the rollers.

Fig. 2. is a plan view.

Fig. 3. is a plan view of the frame which carries the delivery rollers and associated parts.

Fig. 4. is adiagrammatic view of the gjezging for driving the delivery rollers Fig. 5. is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus.

Fig. 6. is a side elevation of the secondary or oscillating frame D carrying the feed rollers AA removed from the main frame.

Fig. 7. is a plan of the feed "rollers and the frame which carries same.

Fig.8 is a detail of the cam and detent for governing the movement of the feed rollers into engagement with the delivery rollers. Fig. 9. is a detail of spring F and bar (1 and pin M.

The feed rollers A and the delivery rollers C0 are disposed relatively to one another very similarly to that described in the specification of application for patent Ser. No. 255957.

The delivery rollers C are journalled in a "frame B braced-together by stay bolts or studs 1) b b and mounted on driving wheels Eon a transverse axle e. The roller C is drivenfrom the wheels E by the gear wheel 6 on the axle e and the train. of gears e and the roller C is rotated by surface contact with the roller C, or by suitable gearmg.

Thus as the wheels E are rotated by moving the apparatus over a stationarysurface, the desired movement is imparted to the rollers C C. a l

The feed rollers A A and A are journalled in a secondary frame D capable of oscillation to move the rollers A A A A toward and away from the delivery rollers C C. The frame D is braced together by stay bolts 03 d (Z and the feed rollers A are journalled therein with a distance of about 1/32 of an inch apart, and these rollers are geared together atone end to rotate in unison.

The oscillating feed roller frame D is provided with notches d (Figs. 5 and 6) which engage the transverse stay bar I) of the frame 13 upon which it is free to oscillate. The stay bar 6 is enlarged between its ends, and said enlarged portion of the stay bar Z), fitting between the plates of the frame D, prevents lateral movement of the latter. By rocking the frame D on the stay bar 5 the feed rollers A may be moved toward and away from the delivery rollers C. 1 The intermediate rollers A of the feed rollers are mounted in staggered relation as shown in Fig. 5 to give a zig-zag travel to the fibers but are out of touch with one another in order not to put a tension on the fibers but hold them solely by thefriction .of passing over the rollers in order that the fibers may be pulled out or detached individually by the delivery rollers C C, and

the rollers A are, as before stated geared together to rotate in unison. The roller A is 'journalled in a slot 0; in the frame D and rests upon the front roller A. The roller 100 A is journalledin a frame D pivoted upon the stay bolt cl of the frame D. The forward ends of the sides of the frame D are connected by an additional stay bolt d which adds to the weight with which the 105 roller A presses upon the front roller A. The back feed roller A is iournalled in a slot a in the frame D and is held with the'desired pressure against the back roller A by afspring F held in position by the-.

studs 7 carried by the frame D. The pressure of thespring F upon the journal of the roller A can be relieved by Withdrawing the studs f and the roller may then be removed.

The four rollers A are driven by a ratchet wheel H on one end of one of the rollers A, which ratchet wheel H is actuated by a pawl h. The ratchet wheel H is prevented from rotation in a reverse direction by a detent or pawl h. The pawl h is of such a shape as to act as a brake upon the ratchet wheel H and prevent rotation of it and the rollers A when in the position shown in Fig. 6. so that the rollers cannot be rotated by the pull upon the fiber. The pawl h is pivoted to a lever H, and the ratchet wheel H is rotated when, after the lever H is drawn back at the desired time as described later. it is drawn forward by the spring h The drawing back of the lever H also rocks the frame 'D in a backward direction upon the stay bolt 03 and moves the feed rollers A A away from the de livery rollers C C.

The desired pressure is imparted to the delivery rollers C C by a cam G which is connected by a rod 9 to a cross bar, which, in turn, has its opposite ends coupled to the opposite ends of, the roller C by links 9. The rod 9 passes through a hole in the stay bar Z; and the cam G acts against the stay bar Z) to draw the roller-C against the roller C. The cam G should be released to relieve the pressure between the rollers C and C when the apparatus is not in use.

A cam K is mounted to rotate with the first of the train of gearing e to rotate one revolution with the movement of the apparatus over the support G a distance of say about two yards. The cam has a notch k in its periphery and a spring controlled detent 7c pivoted to one side which partly covers the notch 70.

A projecting pin M is carried by one side of the oscillating frame D which carries the feed rollers A A When the frame D and feed rollers are in position during the movement of the apparatus over the support G.

the pin rests upon the periphery of the cam K and maintains the frame D and the rollers carried thereby in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and when the apparatus reaches the end of its movement over the support G the pin M falls into the notch la and allows the frame D to swing forward Or downwardly to bring the feed rollers A and A close to the delivery rollers C C.

The frame I) and feed rollers are raised again by rocking the lever H until the pin M is clear of the notch is, when the detent k springs forward under the pin M and prevents entering the notch until the cam Khas made 'anot'herre-volution. The tip of the idetent is" is made to project slightly beyond the periphery of the cum in order to ensure that the pin will not slip back into the notch.

The entry of the pin M into the notch l: of the cam also arrests the rotation of the delivery rollers C C.

The frame D carrying the feed rollers A A is preferably fitted as a separate unit which can be readily removed from and replaced in the frame B carrying the delivery rollers C C. i

A receptacle N is placed behind the feed rollers to hold a sliver of cotton to be tested, a guard at being extended below it to prevent the cotton lapping upon the axle c of the wheels A handle 0, by which to grip the apparatus and move it to and fro over a plush covered stationary flat or curved surface 6, is attached to the receptacle N.

In operation, the length of cotton sliver to be tested is placed in the receptacle N and threaded between the feed rollers A A as shown in Fig. 5, the pin M then resting upon the periphery of the cam K. The apparatus is placed with the driving wheels upon the plush covered flat or curved stationary surface G and pushed along it, the rotation of the wheels E imparting movement to the delivery rollers C C through the train of wheels 6 and also rotating the cam K. At the end of the movement of the apparatus over the support (in length about two yards or metres) the pin M falls into the notch or slot is in the cam K and permits the frame D and feed rollers A A to fall forward thus permitting the delivery rollers C C to take hold of the fibers projecting from the feed roller A and the roller A which cooperates therewith. Immediately after the rotation of the feed rollers is arrested b the abutment of the pin M against the back of the slot is, a single operation of the apparatus is completed. To set the apparatus for the rent operation the lever H is drawn back. This draws back the pawl 71. to engage the next tooth of the ratchet wheel H and at the same time raises the frame D and the feed rollers A A back into the position shown in Fig. 5, and withdraws the pin M from the slot l: in the cam IQ the detent Z1 moving beneath it to prevent the pin N re-cntcring the slot 70. When the handle H is released the spring 71- draws it and the pawl 71.- back to their initial position and the pawl It will. impart movement to the ratchet wheel H and through it to the feed rollers A A- and advance the fibers the desired amount say about 1/20 of an inch. The apparatus is now moved another time along the plush surface G, the fibers as they emerge from the delivery rollers C C being laid in succession upon the surface G according to their length, and this cycle of operations is repeated until suf- 'fiClBnt cotton is drawn out and graded, a0-

cording to the lengths of fiber, upon the plush surface Gr.

A scale is placed alongside the plush for weighing the fibers removed from different parts of the plush, so that the weights of fibers so removed will, according to the position they occupied on the plush, give the percentages of different lengths of staple in the original sliver.

The diameter of the wheels E and of the delivery roller G and the gearing between them and the cam K'are such that, during a movement of the apparatus of say twoyards or more whilst the cam K makes one revolution, as already explained the delivery from the rollers C C slightly exceeds the length of the longest fibers in the cotton sliver.

lVhat we claim as our invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. An apparatus for sorting or grading cotton or other fibers according to their length, comprising a frame, a set of delivery rollers journaled in said frame, wheels supporting said frame and adapted to traverse a stationary surface, means for transmitting motion from said wheels to said rollers, asecond frame mounted for rocking movement toward and away from said first-named frame, a set of feed rollers journaled in said second frame and adapted to cooperate with said delivery rollers, means for retaining said last-named frame apart from said firstnamed frame during the movement of the apparatus over said surface and permitting said last-named frame to move toward said first-named frame at the end of said movement and means for moving said last-named frame away from said first-named frame, and means for imparting movement to the feed rollers.

2. An apparatus for sorting and grading fibers according to their length, comprising a frame, a pair of delivery rollers journaled in said frame, a pair of wheels upon which said frame is mounted for movement across a stationary surface, and a train of gearing connecting said wheels with the delivery rollers for rotating the latter as the apparatus is moved along said surface.

3. An apparatus for sorting and grading fibers according to their length, comprising a frame, a pair of delivery rollers journaled in said frame, a second frame mounted for movement toward and away from said first-named frame, feed rollers mounted for rotation in said second-named frame and adapted to cooperate with the delivery rollers carried by the first named frame, a ratchet wheel carried by one of the feed rollers, a lever mounted on said second frame, and a spring-controlled pawl carried by said lever and engaging said ratchet wheel for rotating said feed rollers at the end of each operation of the apparatus.

4. An apparatus for sorting or grading cotton or other fibers according to their length, comprising a frame, a set of delivery rollers journaled in said frame, a pair of driving wheels supporting said frame and adapted to traverse a stationary surface, means for imparting movement from said driving wheels to said delivery rollers, a second frame mounted for movement toward and away from said first-named frame, a set of feed rollers journaled in said second frame, means actuated by said driving wheels for holding said second frame apart from said first frame during the movement of the apparatus over said surface and permitting said second frame to move toward the first frame at the end of such movement, means for manually moving said second frame away from said first frame, and means actuated bysaid manual means for imparting movement to the feed rollers.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM LAWRENCE BALLS. FREDERICK HUTCHINS.

Witnesses:

J. O. OWDEN OBRmN, GEO. H. OBRIEN. 

